Adobe has started a new beta program this week for its PDF file format that allows for the inclusion of ads in PDF documents. The new service is called Ads for Adobe PDF Powered by Yahoo! and means that companies can start to include pay-per-click ads in documents they distribute in the format.

The relationship with Yahoo! allows Adobe to offer access to a well-established and far reaching ad network while receiving a cut of the ad revenue. Speaking of the new relationship, Rob Tarkoff, senior vice president of Corporate Development at Adobe, said:

By partnering with Yahoo! on this innovative advertising service we are creating opportunities for publishers to build new businesses around unique content that previously was just given away or not available to a mass online audience … As advertisers look to touch new audiences, readers can look forward to some exciting Adobe PDF content coming their way.

The ads offered will be text based and positioned adjacent to the document’s content, so it does not interfere with it. The ads are dynamically updated every time the document is loaded and will only be displayed to users using the Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat applications.

The introduction of ads is not only seen as a new revenue stream for content providers, but also as a way of opening up more content for free distribution supported by revenue from ads. A number of publishers have already signed up for the new service including IDG, InfoWorld, Wired, Pearson’s Education, Meredith Corporation, and Reed Elsevier.

If this service does allow for more content to be opened up for free to users, then it has done some good. What I fear, however, is that we will start seeing loads of information that was freely available to view anyway suddenly appearing in a PDF format instead along with this advertising.

There is a simple way around the ads, however; just find yourself a PDF viewer that isn’t produced by Adobe.